Crafty hackers mine MvC3 disc for info and come up with Frank West and Doctor Octopus

Some people who are smarter than us have done a little digital digging and come up with some interesting info from the MvC3 disc. In addition to upcoming DLC characters Shuma Gorath and Jill Valentine already beingon the disc, hackers Global-Trace and Krissan Thyme have found info that could reveal two new DLC characters, Frank West and Doctor Octopus.

Above: Images taken from Global-Trance and Krissan Thyme's hard work

The info, pulled from the disc’s executable file, contains a list of the game’s characters with the notable addition of Dr. Octopus and fan favorite Frank West. Dead Rising and Alfred Molina fans might not want to get their hopes up too high though, as Global-Trace specified:

"There are references of Frank West and Dr. Octopus found in the boot executable but NONE OF THEIR MODELS, ANIMATIONS, TEXTURES, SOUNDS, ARTWORK EXIST ON THE DISC. NONE. ALL GONE,"

This meshes with reports from last year that mentioned Frank West was playable for much of the game’s development until he was cut at the 11th hour as a result of his moveset requiring excessive work to finish. Whether or not you believe Capcom would put all that effort into an almost complete character only to cut him at the last minute is your call, but given that Frank was fully playable in TvC, it’s hard to believe he’s been totally scrapped. Either way, this is the first we’ve heard of Dr. Octopus being mentioned in any official capacity.

Above: Images taken from Global-Trance and Krissan Thyme's hard work

Also of interest is the news that the first round of DLC characters, Jill Valentine and Shuma Gorath, are both already good to go on the disc. Global-Trance does mention that Jill is missing her audio and a few of her moves feel unfinished, but Shuma Gorath is essentially 100% complete. While on-disc DLC rubs some people the wrong way, it’s hard to imagine MvC3 players won’t be getting their money’s worth out of two totally new characters when the DLC goes live in March.

And remember kids, don't try any of this hacking business at home lest you're eager to incur the wrath of the Capcops!